Oral care materials are applied in different ways. A common technique is to cast an impression of a person's teeth and provide a tray of the shape of this impression. A person then only needs to add an oral care material to the tray and to apply the tray to his/her teeth. This is left in place for a period of time and then removed. When the oral care material is a whitening agent, the teeth gradually whiten after a few treatments. Another technique is to use an oral care strip that has an oral care material on one surface. This strip is applied to a person's teeth and left in place for about 30 minutes. When the oral care material is a whitening agent, the teeth are gradually whitened after several applications. Yet another technique is to apply oral care materials to teeth using a small brush. This brush is repeatedly dipped back into the container or bottle during the application of the oral care material to ones teeth. When the oral care material is a whitening agent, the teeth gradually whiten after a few treatments.
A problem with existing brushing techniques is that saliva in the mouth contains the enzyme catalase. This enzyme will catalyze the decomposition of certain oral care materials, such as peroxides. The brush can pick up some catalase during the application of the oral care material and transport that catalase back to the bottle. This catalase now in the bottle can degrade the oral care material, such as peroxide, in the bottle. Another problem with this latter technique is that it does not adapt for use with certain oral care materials, such as anhydrous whitening compositions. In such situations, the brush may transport moisture in saliva from the mouth back into the bottle. This will have a negative affect on the oral care material, such as whitening composition by potentially decomposing the peroxide active ingredient. In addition, if a person washes the brush each time after use, moisture from the wet bristles can enter the bottle.
While tray-based systems are suitable, many people do not use them due to the fact that they tend to be uncomfortable and/or awkward. Moreover, in order to use a tray, a user must keep the tray and the required components at hand. This not only requires extra storage space in already cramped bathroom cabinets but also requires that the user remember to use the oral care system. Furthermore, these tray-based systems are not conveniently portable for transport and/or travel.
These problems require a better way to deliver an oral care material to the oral surface and a more convenient oral care system for transport and/or travel.